Method of making shoes



Jan. 29 1924 1,482,220

|-:.' BROTHERS METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Original Filed Sept. 14 1912 Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

T 'l T E S ELI BROTHERS, F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION,

PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

OF IPATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A COB- METHOD OF MAKING SHOES.

Original application filed September 14, 1912. Serial No. 720,380. Divided and this application filed May 27, 1916. Serial No. 100,366.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ELI BROTHERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Methods of Making Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures. This invention relates to methods of making shoes, the present application being a d1- vision of my earlier application Serial No.'

' 720,380, filed on September 14, 1912, wherein is shown and claimed one form of apparatus by the aid of which the novel method may be practiced. The invention is applicable to the manufacture of various kinds of shoes, and the term sole as herein used is to be understood as applicable generically to the insole of a welt, McKay or other type of shoe as well as to the sole of a turn shoe, except where the context requires a more 2 limited interpretation of the term.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and convenient method whereby import-ant economiesin respect to time and labor may be effected in the manufacture of shoes. In one aspect of the invention, it is contemplated that the upper will be conformed to its last and held in finally lasted position with its margin free beyond the edge face of the sole. In accordancewith the practice herein illustrated the upper is secured in conformity to its last with its margin projecting at the edge of'the sole in substantially perpendicular relation to the plane of the sole, ready for an operation subsequent to the lasting, the character of which will depend upon the kind of shoe under treatment. In the manufacture of welt shoes, for example, it is within'the province of the invention, in one of itsaspects, to operate upon the shoe with the upper thus positioned to fasten a welt to the upper and insole. Inthe case of some kinds of shoes wherein the margin of the upper is drawn inwardly over the feather of the sole, including turn shoes and certain kinds of welt shoes, the overdrawing of the upper may in accordance with this invention be effected as an incident to an opera- Renewed April 18 1923.

tion subsequent to lasting, thus dispensing with the usual overdrawing and temporary fastening of the margin of the upper as a part of the lasting of the shoe.

In a further aspect, the invention pro vides for controlling an upper in a novel manner after it has been conformed to its last and before it is fastened to the sole. In

accordance with the practice herein illustrated the upper is secured in conformity to the last, while unattached to the sole, by a member applied about the shoe exteriorly of the periphery of the shoe bottom and portable with the shoe to permit the shoe to be manipulated in any way desired, the shoe with its upper thus held being subsequently transferred to a different position for the upper fastening operation. It is within the province of the invention thus to hold the upper in lasted position while presenting the shoe toan upper fastening machine, and further to utilize the upper holding member as a guide to determine the path of relative movement of the shoe and an instrumentality for fastening the upper to the sole.

In still another aspect the invention has in viewthe working of an upper into conformity to its last by the aid of a device embracing the upper and the last round the forepart and adapted, for example, to conform itself more or less to the shape of the shoe and to engage the upper frictionally for a substantial distance heightwise of the shoe. In accordance with the practice illustrated 'such member is utilized subsequently to hold or secure the upper in conformity to its last and also to guide the shoe as hereinabove set forth in presenting the shoe to a machine for fastening the upper to the sole.

The invention may be further understood from the following description with the aid of the accompanying drawings and will then be more particularly pointed out in the claims. 'i

Fig.1 ofthe drawings shows an upper arranged on a last and the shoe embraced by a member such as shown in my earlier application by the aid of which the operator is wiping the upper upwardly about the forepart of the last.

Fig. 2 shows the upper wiped u and clamped around the forepartand s des. qof

. permanently secured in proper relation to a'shoe sole orinnersole, this figure illustrating the character of the upper fastening operation as applied to welt, turn or Mc- Kay shoes. In practising the invention in the manner herein illustrated, a workman takes a last and arranges the upper thereon and embraces the shoe by a portable wiper and holder such asindicated'at 2. This device may advantageously. consist 'of a a shoe 8H1- bracing member of resilient material and beconstructed' andarranged to adapt itself to the contour ofithe last'and snugly fit'the lateral surfacesof the last nearthe edge of the last bottom for a substantial distance lieightwise ofthe shoe, or downwardly from thebottom of an inverted shoe as seen 'in Figs. 2 and S, while leaving the bottom surface of'thelast orthe sole exposed, said member 'havin separable rear ends yieldingly 'drawn' ogether as claimed in. said earlier application, and presenting an uninterrupted exterior face substantially parallel with the edge of the last around the toe and affording a 'continuous surface, as distinguished fromthe irregular surface of :the shoe where the toe tip joins the vamp, by which the shoe can 'be guided, as shown in wig. '3, insubsequently presentingit-toh'eceivethe operation of machines which ordi n'arily guide by engagement with the shoe uppen' If the upperhas a back seam-it should be properly located centrallyv onthe back of the last where it will be retained, Without tacking, by the action of the holder and if the upper has a tip seam it can be made "to come straight with little attention after the back seam is straight. The workman depresses the forepart of the shoe into the forepart of the embracing means 2, or swings up the forepart of saidim'eans while it pivots at its rearend-on the heeliend face of the shoe, the relative movement effecting a wiping and s'tretching of the upperftpwardly to the edge of the last bottom, the upper being, conformedto the exterior or side faces of the last and the wiping. means 2 resiliently adapting itself to the contour of the, last and resiliently clamping-the upper around the last'andholding it inrelation thereto to have its flange. 3 permanently secured to the sole. The lattermay be "put in place either before or afterthe upperi'is shaped and will vary in shapeaccordin'g to whether the shoe is'tobe ofturn, welt, or McKay construction. Byreference. to Fig.

2. it willbe seen that as the upper. is thus held or secured in lasted position by the clamp member and unattached to the sole, its margin is free beyond the edge face of the sole and projects in substantiallyperpendicular relation to the bottom face or the plane of the sole.

After the upper is shaped to the last as described it is contemplated that it will be carried to a mechanical fastening machine as shown in. Fig. 3, although obviously the upper might be fastened by stitches or tacks applied by hand. The upper is held continuously by the shaping means 2 in its lasted relation to the last'until it is permanently secured to the sole or. innersole. The righthand portion of Fig. 3 illustrates the character. ofwthe upper fastening operation in-the case of McKay shoes, and it will be evident that such fastening operation, which as herein contemplated is independent or the lasting operation, proper, may be performed by comparatively unskilled labor. At its left hand side Fig. 3 indicates the character of the upper fastening operation as applied to turn shoes or to some kinds of welt shoes, an overdrawing of the margin of'the upper beingeifected as an incident to the permanent; sitchingofthe upperto the sole and, in the case of a welt shoe, to the attachment of the welt. In these different upper. fastening operations the member 2, it will be observed, is utilized to guide the shoe in itsgmovement relatively to the fasteninginstrumentality, this being an advantage by reason of the fact that the clamp member presents a smooth outer surface adapted. to guide the work. with less friction than. the uppermaterials and, free from irregularities such as, are presented, for ex ample, by-the upper of a shoe at the tip seam. Imay leave the upper materialsunclamped immediately adjacent to, the edge ofthe last bottom around, the heel seat as indicated at- 8. to facilitate certain wellknownsystems of making heel; seats, and I may conformthe upper to the shankof the shoe, particularly at the inner side of. the shank, by a hinged section 90f the shaping means. This has the advantage of laying the entire. length. of the shank into proper relation to the last, and; holding it for the securing operation which, effected step-bystep as usual, might otherwise not-producea properdistribution of the stock in. a tight shank. I may, mount the last on a last spindle. as indicated in Fig. 2, and in that case may or maynot employ. a toggle 12, 14, 18,, 19, having a detachable connection 13.with theshapingmeans-Q, to operate, the shapingmeans forfiwiping the upper up wardly aroundtheforepart; of the last.

WVhile. uppers, have beenv conformed to lasts rand overwiped at thetoefand bound to arshsoulder. or rib on the-fltreadface of a welt or turn shoe innersol or sole and then transported to the fastening machine, it is new with me, as I am advised, to clamp or secure an upper in lasted relation to the side faces of the forepart of a last below the tread face of the shoe and to hold the upper shaped to the last by said clamping means while carrying the shoe to a fastening machine and holding the upper for the fastening operation. I desire to secure broad protection for securing an upper exteriorly with relation to the edge of the last bottom as distinguished from securing it within the boundaries of the last bottom independently of howthe upper is manipulated into conformity with the contour of the exterior or side faces of the last and independently of how the flange of the upper is manipulated into conformity with the contour of the tread face of the sole or inner sole inside the edge of the last bottom. 7

Having explained the nature of this invention and described how it may be practised, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in assembling an upper on a last; inserting the shoe within a portable lasting device which is constructed and arranged to embrace the forepart of the shoe and to adapt itself to and contact with substantially the entire periphery of the fore part;, relatively turning the lasting device and the shoe to wipe the upper over the side and end faces of the forepart of the last to the edge of the last bottom; and subjecting the shoe, with the portable lasting device holding the upper in lasted position, to an upper and sole connecting operation.

2. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises arranging an upper on a last, embracing the shoe by means constructed and arranged to contact with an appreciable portion of the vertical contour of the forepart and wiping the upper of the forepart of the shoe upwardly into conformation with the exterior faces of the forepart of the last to the edge of the last bottom, and clamping the upper exteriorly around the forepart of the last and holding it while the shoe is subjected to an operation for connecting the flange of the upper around the forepart of the shoe in proper relation to a sole applied to the bottom face of the last.

3. That improvement in methods of mal ing the upper to the last around the toe exteriorly of the edge of the shoe bottom, by means which engages the upper for a substantial distance heightwise of the shoe and is capable of unrestricted movement with the shoe, interrupting the procedure for an indefinite period, and thereafter manipulating the margin of the upper into position to be secured to the margin of a sole and securing it.

5. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises manipulating an upper into lasted position around the forepart of a last, and holding the upper by a portable forepart embracing means which is adapted for attachment to the shoe exteriorly of the edge of the shoe bottom, removing the shoe with said embracing means holding the upper to a diflerent location, and thereafter working the flange of the upper over the margin of a sole and securing it and then removing said holding means.

6. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises applying to an assembled shoe a portable forepart embracing means which is adapted for engagement with a substantial portion of the contour of the shoe from the edge of the shoe bottom downwardly and for being fastened to the shoe and turning the shoe and said means relatively for wiping the upper stock over the curved contour of the toe upwardly to the edge of the shoe bottom, maintaining the upper in that position by said means, and laying the flange of the upper over the margin of a sole and securing it.

7 That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises manipulating an upper into lasted relation to the side faces of the forepart of a last and clamping or binding the upper below the sole receiving face of the last by a portable holding means to maintain it in lasted relation to the side faces of the forepart of the last, removing the shoe to a' different location with the upper so held and its margin unsecured, thereafter securing the upper to a sole and then removing the portable holding means. i 8. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in assembling an upper on a last, stretching the upper into substantial conformity with the contour of the side faces of the last, and securing the upper exteriorly with relation to the edge of the last bottom in conformed relation to the side faces of the last by a portable holding device effecting substantially continuous engagement with the upper around the toe and presenting an uninterrupted exterior face substantially parallel with the edge of the last bottom around the toe and affording a surface by which the shoe can be guided in subsequently presenting the shoe to an upper and sole connecting machine.

9. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises assembling an upper and sole on a last and minipulating the upper into lasted relation to the side faces of the forepart of the last adjacent to the edge of the sole and clamping or binding the upper below the outer face of the sole by a portable holding means to maintain it in lasted relation, removing the shoe to a different location with the upper so held and its margin unsecured and thereafter securing the upper to the sole and then removing the portable holding means.

10. That improvement in the art of lasting Welt shoeswhich consists in causing the edge of an upper adjacent the edge face of an insole to stand substantially at right angles to the face of the insole, and securing the upper in that position.

11. That improvement in methods ofmaking welt shoes which consists in conforming an upper to a last and securing the upper for the welt attaching operation with the margin of the upper upstanding at theedge of the insole substantially at right angles to the plane of the insole and then proceeding to operate on the shoe to fasten a welt to the upper and insole.

12. That improvement in methods of making welt shoes which consistsin assembling on a last an upper and also an insole of substantially the same dimensions as the bottom face of the last, conforming the upper to the last and; securingit'with its margin free beyond the edge face of the insole and operating on the shoe in that condition to fasten the upper and a welt simultaneously to the insole.

13. That improvement inmethods of making shoes which consists in assembling on a last an upper and a channeled sole, conforming the upper to the last and securing it in its conformed relation, unattached to the sole, with its margin projecting freely beyond the edge face ofthe sole, and operating upon the shoe in that condition to draw the margin of the upper inwardly and fasten it permanently to the sole by the final upper and. sole connecting stitches extending into the channel of the sole.

14. That improvement in methods of mak ing shoes which consists in. working an upper in-to conformity to.- the contour of a last and positioning it with its margin projecting freely beyond the edge face of the sole of the shoe, securing the upper in that position by a member extending round the toe exteriorly ofthe periphery ofthe shoebottom, and thereafter utilizing said member as a,

guide to determine the path of relative movement of the shoe and an instrumentality for fastening the upper to the Sole.

15. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in assembling an upper and a sole on a last, conforming the upper to the last and securing it in its con formed relation, unattached, to the sole, by a holding member applied exteriorly of the periphery of the shoe bottom and pout-able with the shoe, presenting the shoe in that condition to theoperation of a machine for fastening the upper to the sole, and there after removing said holding member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

. ELI BROTHERS 

